Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 368 Blood Vine Golden Silkworm, Hidden Wind Corpse Cicada
half a month later.

Just after dawn that day, Cheng Xinzhan noticed that the pass given to him by the thin Taoist in the illusory realm had lit up, so he took it out, and immediately a voice came from it.
"Strategist, come to the main hall for a meeting."

Cheng Xinzhan responded, then got up and left the house, flying towards the Star-Picking Hall on the mountaintop.

Upon entering the hall, the same people were there as before, but everyone's face was filled with joyful smiles, including the thin Taoist. When Cheng Xinzhan entered, everyone looked at her, their eyes filled with admiration, awe, and even envy, among other things.

Seeing this reaction, Cheng Xinzhan knew that his suggestions had been effective.

"sit."

"The skinny Taoist said."

So Cheng Xinzhan sat down in his original seat.

"You Jie, could you tell him?"

The thin Taoist priest looked at the first person on the right side of the hall and said.

Cheng Xinzhan followed the thin Taoist's gaze and saw a middle-aged man, rather thin, exuding an aura of yin energy that made him seem unlike a living person. Judging from his aura, he was a corpse cultivator at the third level of the Cleansing Realm. At this moment, he saw the man turn his head and smile at him, saying...
"The strategist's brilliant plan has indeed worked. In the past few days, we have been gathering materials, probing the waters around Red Cloud Island, and fighting the crocodile demon. We have used all of the strategist's methods."

"We then discovered that the methods the strategist mentioned were basically all effective against the second-realm crocodile demons. The method with the least cost and the most convenient use was to use grass seeds. We tried more than ten kinds of grass seeds that were said to be deadly upon contact with blood, and found the most suitable one to be the Dragon Claw Vine from the Blood Vine Sect in the Southern Frontier."

"This vine thrives on blood and gore. Once inside the body, it will take root and sprout on its own, growing rapidly. Moreover, this vine is covered with living thorns, each thorn highly poisonous and shaped like a dragon's claw. It can easily tear through internal organs and suck out more blood. This vine also reproduces quickly. Once it has sucked enough blood, it will immediately bear fruit. After the fruit ripens and falls, it will fall into the internal organs and immediately grow new poisonous vines."

"According to the Blood Vine Cult, their vines are fond of feeding on dragon blood, especially serpents and other creatures. And the Crocodile Demons are offspring of the Alligator Prince, so they probably also have a trace of dragon blood in their bodies, which should be a perfect counter, hence the miraculous effect."

“We’ve tried it. First-realm crocodile demons have virtually no chance against this vine; they’ll be sucked dry in less than a quarter of an hour. Second-realm crocodile demons either have to retreat immediately and try to pry out the vine seed, or if left unattended, they won’t last more than half an hour.”

Cheng Xinzhan was somewhat surprised, firstly because he hadn't expected the thin Taoist to act so quickly. In just half a month, he had already collected and tried all the things she had mentioned, and even categorized and compared them.

Secondly, it was because the familiar Blood Vine Sect was mentioned. Isn't the Southern Wilderness Blood Vine Sect the lineage of Granny Blood Vine, and one of the Eight Vajras of the Southern Wilderness? I had a chance encounter with them many years ago when I saved Fuxia Lake. I didn't expect that her stuff could be used to subdue the Crocodile Demon. It seems like two completely unrelated groups of demons are actually in a relationship of one thing subduing another. That's quite interesting.

"That's daring!"

He opened his mouth in praise.

The demon known as Yujie smiled and nodded, but quickly, that smile turned into helplessness. He said,

"We initially chose the herb seed from among the many methods suggested by the strategist because the herb seed was relatively cheap and easy to use. But when we tried more than ten kinds and finally determined that the vine seed from the Blood Vine Sect was the best, we found that their price was also the highest, comparable to that of insect gu."

"In the Blood Vine Sect, within the genus of Dragon Claw Vine, there are also Red Python Vine and Red Snake Vine, but their effects are too poor. They are still effective against first-realm crocodile demons, but not very effective against second-realm ones. Above that, they have Dragon Claw Vine, which is more effective. However, although this vine is indeed more effective against second-realm crocodile demons, it is still powerless against third-realm crocodile demons, but the price is several times higher, so we didn't want it."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan immediately said,

"Didn't Yu Jie just say that this blood vine can regenerate after absorbing blood? Can't we cultivate it ourselves?"

Yu Jie shook his head.
“I’ve tried it, but it doesn’t work. The blood vine withers and dies as soon as it grows up, and the fruit it bears cannot be saved either. It dies as soon as it falls to the ground. Although it can grow and regenerate after falling into blood, it will still die when it grows up or the blood dries up. Only the people of the Blood Vine Cult can refine the fruit into vine seeds, which can be used at any time. This is their unique method.”

"That's it."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

At this moment, the thin Taoist priest also spoke up. He seemed very happy and generous, saying,
"It may be expensive, but as long as it works, it's worth it. It's much more cost-effective than using the lives of our men to fill the gaps or consuming everyone's life-force poison."

Upon hearing this, You Jie smiled and nodded, saying,
“That’s true. And I plan to personally visit the Blood Vine Cult on the mainland to talk to them and see if we can get a discount for bulk purchases.”

"Well then, I'll trouble Youjie to make the trip. This matter is very important, not only for dealing with Red Cloud Island, but also for dealing with the entire Big Belly Sea in the future."

"The skinny Taoist said."

"As ordered!"

Yu Jie stood up and accepted the order.

Cheng Xinzhan sat in his seat, smiling and nodding.

At the same time, he was thinking that the Blood Vine Sect, if he remembered correctly, should be located on the western border of the Southern Wilderness, bordering the Dianwen region. He could have Wan Gaoming make a trip there to purchase a batch of vine seeds for his collection, and also help the Earth Yin Sea reduce the quantity and raise the price.

Then, the thin Taoist looked at the first person on his left and said,

"Old Ba, please tell the strategist again about the methods to deal with the Three Realms Crocodile Demon."

Cheng Xin looked over and saw an older man with a goatee and a slightly hunched back. This man likely possessed the cultivation of the Middle Three Tribulations realm, but for some reason, he deliberately retained his corpse armor, which was at least two inches long and gleamed with a dark purple sheen. He looked like someone not to be trifled with, and his voice was quite hoarse.
"Let me inform you, strategist, that most methods are ineffective against crocodile demons of the third realm. We've also discovered that any magical artifacts of metal or earth elements, such as iron caltrops or poisonous ores, are simply feeding those beasts. Herb seeds, Gu worms, and even living corpses, while useful, have minimal effect. As Youjie just mentioned, we've even tried dragon claw vines, which had some effect, but not enough to change the course of the battle."

"We tried many kinds, but only one kind of Gu worm had a miraculous effect on the stomach of the Three Realms Crocodile Demon. We successfully killed a Three Realms Crocodile Demon yesterday with this."

"Oh? What is it?"

Cheng Xinzhan was also somewhat curious.

"The Golden Silkworm Gu of Mount Jiuyi".

As Mr. Buffett said.

"Golden Silkworm Gu?"

Cheng Xinzhan repeated himself. This was a Gu worm he had never heard of before, but there were countless Gu worms in the southwest, so it was normal to not have one he had never heard of. However, since it came from the Nine Peaks Mountain of the Silkworm Maiden, this Gu worm couldn't be anything less than excellent.

"Correct."

Ba Jin nodded.
"Obtaining this worm was truly an accident. At the time, the people in charge of sourcing it on the shore were following the strategist's instructions to specifically look for Gu worms that like to eat internal organs and parasitize human stomachs. We first went to Miao territory, where the Miao Gu worms are the most famous in the world. Then we went to Yunnan, where the Miao Gu worms are strange and the Yunnan Gu worms are poisonous. Perhaps the worms there would be more suitable for us. After traveling to these two places, we heard that the current Gu masters and large markets selling Gu worms are all in the Jiuyi Mountain area, so our people went to the Jiuyi Mountain in Hunan."

“There are indeed many Gu worms in Jiuyi Mountain, and we have purchased quite a few. Perhaps we spent too much money, which attracted their attention, and then a manager from the Heavenly Silkworm Sect came and strongly recommended a new type of Gu worm to us.”

"Then it must be the Golden Silkworm Gu?"

Cheng Xinzhan chimed in.

Old Ba nodded, a smile appearing on his gloomy face. He said,

"The people from the Heavenly Silkworm Sect said that this Golden Silkworm Gu is a newly refined, extraordinary Gu, originally created specifically to counter the sharp swords of the Hengshan Sword Sect. They boasted that this worm could devour gold and iron, and would be extremely useful in combat. "However, the price of this Gu was too high, and our people thought that this worm was not a parasitic, blood-feeding Gu, so they declined. But the manager of the Heavenly Silkworm Sect was quite a character; he gave us one, saying that we should try it out, and if it worked well, we could buy it later, so we accepted it."

"But to my utter surprise, after trying other insects with little effect, we decided to try this Gu as a last resort, and it unexpectedly worked wonders."

"After these crocodile demons reached the third realm, their stomachs actually turned into gold, and thunder roared from their bellies. No wonder ordinary methods were useless. The Golden Silkworm Gu was precisely the nemesis of gold, so it bit through the stomach of the third-realm crocodile demon and rampaged inside its body, causing the crocodile demon to writhe on the ground in pain. Finally, we found an opportunity to successfully kill it."

"Now, the person in charge of purchasing the Golden Silkworm Gu has already set off for the mainland."

Cheng Xinzhan listened with a slight sigh. The Earthly Yin Island was truly lucky; they had stumbled upon a way to subdue the Three Realms Crocodile Demon. He hadn't expected the Heavenly Silkworm Sect to display such formidable strength after gathering all the Gu Dao masters in the world. This Golden Silkworm Gu sounded incredibly powerful.

In addition, he was surprised that the thin Taoist was so determined. His sect, the Faxiang Sect, was destroyed by the Southern School, yet he was still able to make a deal with the Southern School with a calm mind. This was not something an ordinary person could do.

"Your Highness is too inexperienced and almost ruined your great plan. Fortunately, Your Highness is blessed with good fortune and found a suitable Gu worm."

Cheng Xinzhan expressed his joy.

The thin Taoist priest waved his hands repeatedly upon hearing this.

"This is all thanks to the strategist. If it weren't for the strategist's idea, we wouldn't have sent people to search for the insect on land, and we would have missed the Golden Silkworm Gu."

"I am unworthy of such praise."

Cheng Xinzhan replied verbally, but in his heart, he memorized the names "Dragon Claw Vine" and "Golden Silkworm Gu." These were excellent for dealing with demons skilled in devouring supernatural abilities, and they had been proven effective; stockpiling more wouldn't hurt. He could entrust the Dragon Claw Vine to Wan Gaoming, who was nearby. As for the Golden Silkworm Gu? Well, he decided to just inform the alliance and let them figure something out.

"No, the strategist has rendered meritorious service, and a great one at that. He deserves a reward. The strategist himself can tell us what he wants."

The skinny Taoist smiled and said that he was quite happy. If he could severely damage the Big Belly Sea or even take over Red Cloud Island, then the people on Earth Yin Island who were clamoring that they were not of the Yin Clan and had only joined halfway through their journey, and were not suitable to be entrusted with great tasks, would probably have their voices silencing considerably.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and said,

"I am deeply grateful for Your Highness's favor. Then, when Your Highness conquers Red Cloud Island, you may bestow the red clouds upon your subordinates."

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Upon hearing this, the thin Taoist priest slammed his hand on the table and laughed loudly, saying,

"We'll do as the strategist says, we'll do as the strategist says!"

After a hearty laugh, the thin Taoist priest continued,

"Strategist, now that we've confirmed the feasibility of the Dragon Claw Vine and the Golden Silkworm Gu, the procurement won't take much effort. At the latest, we should be able to begin the attack on the island the day after tomorrow. At that time, I would appreciate it if you could observe the battle."

"It's natural."

Cheng Xinzhan replied.

The thin Taoist nodded and continued.

"Last time, the strategist introduced us to the difficulties of attacking Red Cloud Island and the solutions. How about this time you tell us about the situation on the island, and who Red Second Aunt's capable subordinates are besides the Crocodile Demon, and what their cultivation levels are? So that we can be prepared."

"As ordered."

Cheng Xinzhan agreed, and then began to carefully explain the situation inside Red Cloud Island to the demons. As for the content, naturally, 90% of it was true.

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By the time Cheng Xinzhan left the Star-Picking Palace and returned to his residence, it was already evening.

Cheng Xinzhan summoned the "Eight Treasures Cloud Light Cloth," merging it into the void to conceal what he was about to do. In just half a month, he had created a new escape technique; it was time to put it to the test.

Then, he took out a talisman and began to draw on it, eventually creating a human figure.

The talisman floated in the air. He made a hand seal, pointed at the talisman, and chanted...

"Change!"

Then, a mist rose from the talisman, and with a flash of light, the talisman transformed into a person, sitting face to face with Cheng Xinzhan. It was Lai Youde, exactly the same as him now.

Then, he formed a mudra in front of his chest and uttered another incantation.
"Change!"

As the incantation ended, a radiant light shone from his body, and various magical auras flashed by. Then, his figure rapidly shrank, transforming into a tiny insect the size of an apricot.

This little insect is milky white with a hint of pale yellow, resembling jade. Its head is round and blunt, with a pair of tiny black bean-sized eyes. The most conspicuous part of the insect is its pair of forelegs on its thorax, which are thick and shovel-like, while its middle and hind legs are slightly thinner and curled up on its sides.

The insect's abdomen is plump and round, bulging segment by segment, like a newly sprouted lotus root. Two shallow marks are slightly raised on its back, but these two shallow marks are the key to its future ascent.

This is what cicada larvae look like when they are hibernating underground, a state known as "fu ti" (伏蜩). Because cicadas are also called "zhi liao" (知了), and their larvae are adept at digging in the soil with their claws, they are also called "zhi liao hou" (知了猴).

Cheng Xinzhan once drank the wind and dew and dreamed of cicadas. He spent seventeen years in the dark underground, and that's how he looks now.

Don't be fooled by this insect's soft, limp body, its lack of armor and shell, and its tendency to curl up into a ball at the slightest touch, like a boneless dough. Yet, it is precisely this frail body that allows it to burrow underground for as long as seventeen years, a testament to the diversity of life and the wonders of this vast world.

Cheng Xinzhan was so familiar with the appearance of cicadas that the larvae he transformed into were no different from the real insects. This was the core of his transformation technique—to learn through practice.

He named this technique "Hidden Wind Corpse Cicada Curse".

A stealth and concealment spell that integrates the techniques of transformation, corpse dissolution, the Five Elements Escape Technique, the Xun Wind Escape Technique, the Void Escape Technique, and many other Heavenly and Earthly Fiend techniques.

Swift as a hidden wind, still as a dead cicada.

At that moment, with a thought from Cheng Xinzhan, the body of the cicada transformed into a wisp of yin wind and silently disappeared into the ground.

Although cicadas can dig holes in the earth, Cheng Xinzhan certainly couldn't actually become a cicada and dig from the mountain to the ground using only his two forelegs. In the earth and mountains, there are cracks in the rocks and gaps in the soil, and where there are cracks, the wind can pass through, which is precisely why Cheng Xinzhan wanted to incorporate wind magic into this spell.

The essence of the "Hidden Wind Corpse Cicada Curse" lies in transforming into the wind to travel, disappearing into mountains without a trace, and moving through the netherworld without a shadow. However, the wind escape cannot be stopped; if the wind stops, it is no longer wind, and the escape technique will naturally fail. At this time, it transforms into a corpse cicada to lie dormant in silence, in order to avoid detection and tracking.

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(End of this chapter)